New Jersey Chapter of the American Institute of Architects Installs Kurt Kalafsky as 2014 President

The New Jersey chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA-NJ) today announced that Kurt Kalafsky will serve as the organization’s 2014 president. The Howell, N.J. resident was installed during AIA-NJ’s annual awards gala, which was held on Jan. 11 at Shadowbrook in Shrewsbury, N.J.

With 30 years of experience in the architectural field, Kalafsky is a principal and chief technology officer at The Aztec Corporation and Aztec Architects, LLC, an Iselin, N.J.-based architecture and interior design firm specializing in a wide-range of services such as base building design, interior architectural design, facility asset planning and facility master planning.

Kalafsky has also been chosen to receive AIA-NJ’s 2013 Distinguished Service Award for his dedication to the organization. Kalafsky has previously served in several other AIA-NJ positions, including second vice president, secretary and chair of the By-Laws and the Codes and Standards committees and National Resolutions Committee. In these roles, he has run several successful events including multiple code seminars, last year’s grassroots dinner in Washington, D.C., the fellow’s reception at the Denver Convention and the 2013 AIA-NJ Leadership Conference.

Kalafsky is a registered architect in 27 states and the District of Columbia, including New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Delaware and Pennsylvania. He studied architecture at Syracuse University in Syracuse, N.Y. and earned a bachelor’s of architecture degree from the New York Institute of Technology, at its Old Westbury, N.Y. campus.

“This is not my AIA; it is our AIA,” Kalafsky said. “The president’s job is to help facilitate the plans and goals of the Chapter’s leadership. We have a great team of dedicated volunteers whose primary function is to advance our profession and lay the foundation for the next generation of architects. I am looking forward to working together to enhance the future of our profession”

In addition to his role as an architect, Kalafsky is active with the Monmouth Council Boy Scouts of America, where he currently serves as Council President and has served as the Vice-President of Administration, Council Properties Chair and numerous other positions.

Other officers to installed at the event were Kimberly Bunn, AIA, as president elect; Justin Mihalik, AIA, as first vice president; Steven Lazarus, AIA, as second vice president; Judith Donnelly, AIA, as secretary; Jack Purvis, AIA, as past president; and Robert Cozzarelli, AIA, as regional director. Ben P. Lee, AIA, will begin his second year of his two-year term as treasurer; and Jason R. Peist, Assoc. AIA, will begin his third and final year in the position of regional associate director.

About AIA and AIA New Jersey

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is the professional organization that helps architects serve the public’s needs and builds awareness of the role of architects and architecture in American society. The organization, which was founded in 1857, recently celebrated its 150th anniversary. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., its 300 plus local chapters represent 86,000 licensed architects and associated professionals. AIA New Jersey, based in Trenton, is the local chapter of AIA. In 2000, it celebrated its 100th anniversary. AIA New Jersey has about 2,000 members in six regional sections. For more information, please visit www.aia-nj.org.